Means for conditioning vapor



R. W. HARDIE.

MEANS FOR CONDITIONING VAPOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.20I 1920.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

UNITED STATES RoRRR'r w. HARDIE, or warm PLAINS, NEW YORK.

MEANS roR CONDITIONING VAPOR.

'Specificationof Letterslatenta Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Application filed August 20, 1920] Serial No. 404,951.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. HARDIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at White Plains, in the county of Westchester, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Means for Conditioning Vapor, of which the following is a Specification.

This invention relates to means for conditioning and introducing vapor into an 1ndoor atmosphere to increase the relative humidity thereof. j

The vapor received by this device may be in the nature of what is generally known as steam, or it may be whatIis commonly referred to as vapor, as distinguished from steam, that is vapor arising from, water,

heated to a lower temperaturekthan 212 F.

at atmospheric pressure. The term vapor'ls used herein to include both stea'm'and vapor.

In order to humidify an indoor atmosphere, that is to raise the relative humidity thereof by means of vapor diffused into the atmosphere, it is necessary that the particles of water in the vapor shall be sufficiently fine to be readily absorbed by'the drying power of the air, otherwise the vapor will condense at or near the point of dehvery of the vapor into the atmosphere, and W111 not be taken up by the atmosphere and become diffused therein in accordance with what is known as the law of diffusion of gases.

Efforts have heretofore been made to increase the relative humidity of an indoor atmosphere by means of a casing, or water back placed within the furnace of a heat generator, and connected at one end with a water supply, and at the other end with a pipe that discharged from its free outer end into a room or fresh air intake, the vapor generated in the casing or water back.

But such efforts have been unsuccessful, for the reason that the vapor entered the interior of a building under positive lmpulsive effect, heavily laden with moisture, making the vapor visible to an objectionable extent, and because of the fact that the morsture from the overladen vapor cannot in such condition be absorbed by the indoor air, it condensed, and became deposited on the walls, woodwork and surrounding objects near to the point of delivery into the indoor atmosphere.

Other efforts have been made to overcome the injurious effects of projecting into an indoor atmosphere raw steam or vapor heavily charged with moisture, by providing a discharge pipe with an apertured head or terminal covered or otherwise provided with layers of absorbent material such as cloth.

Those efforts have likewise proved impracticable for the reason that such material has no well defined apertures or orifices for vapor to pass through,'and consequently the vapor condensed on the absorbent material,

instead of passing therethrough, and saturated said material with the water of condensation.

A secondary vaporization from the outer surface of the absorbent material takes place under such conditions without any of the original vapor passing through said material, but the revaporization produces no practical'humidifying effect whatever.

Such efforts moreover, when designed for humidifying an indoor atmosphere, proved impractical for the further reason that absorbent material saturated with water at a high temperature, and exposed to the atmosphere forms a positive incubating bed for injurious bacteria.

This invention has for one of its main objects to provide means for reducing vapor of varying densities and of varying expansive impulses into substantially atmospheric pressure and thereby enable the vapor when discharged into the atmosphere to be readily absorbed by, and diffused therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the vapor from condensing while being discharged into the atmosphere, and for raising the temperature of the atmosphere at the point of delivery of the vapor therein so as to increase the capacity of the air at that point for receiving vapor.

With the foregoing, and other objects in view, hereinafter stated, the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically stated, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown a device embodying the structure of the invention in its preferred form, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specifica tion, and wherein like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and. wherein Figure 1, is a side elevation partly in section of a device embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the top of a pressure reducing member shown in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention a vapor generator is provided of any suitable construction, capable of converting water into vapor.

In the construction shown in the drawings a heat generator 1, is provided with a coil, receptacle, or water back 2, placed within the furnace of the generator.

One end of the water back is connected with a pipe 3, extending upward from the water back, and communicating with the interior of a water supply tank 4. The tank is supplied with water by means of a supply pipe 5 leading'to a water main, and provided with a float operated valve 6.

The tank may however be supplied with water in any other suitable manner if desired.

The other end of the water back is connected by means of an upwardly extending pipe 7, with the inlet aperture of an open topped vapor receiving receptacle or casing 9, forming a vapor expansion and heat radiating member.

The heat generator, with its coil, receptacle or water back, and the water tank connected with the water back and provided with an automatic float valve are all of old and well known construction, and form no part of the invention. Any other form of vapor generator may moreover be used instead of the one shown herein if desired.

As the 'water delivered from the supply tank 4:, into the water back 2, becomes converted into vapor, the vapor passes outward from the water back through the pipe 7, into thereceptacle or casing 9; If theopen top of the receptacle be unobstructed, the vapor would pass into the atmosphere in a raw condition, and in such volume that, it could notbe absorbed by the air, and consequently would become condensed at or near the point of discharge into the atmosphere.

To prevent a precipitous discharge of an undesirable amount of vapor into the atmosphere under pressure or impulsive effect,

this invention provides a ressure reducing,

member, which closes the ischarge opening of said casing against a too free discharge of vapor, at the same time permitting the desired amount of-vapor to pass through said member.

In cases where a water back is used within the furnace of a heat generator toproduce vapor, and a fire is started quickly in the furnace, steam may be generated so rapidly that the pressure reducing member will cause a back pressure on the steam or vapor within the receptacle 0r casing9. There- .iefi'ect, the .area of the heating surface of the water back.

Where thisinvention is employed without using a water back in a furnace the area of the receptacle or casing-need not be increased for such purpose, and the casing need not be used for either an expansion or a radiating member. I"

The pressure reducing member in its preferred form comprises a plurality of layers 8, of closely woven wire strands which may be bound together at their outer margins in any suitable manner, such asby means of a band having margins 14 overlapping the outer'margins of the layers of wire strands.

In the drawings the layers of wire strands are shown spaced apart, for convenience of illustration, but in use the layers are laid and impulsive effect of the vapor, to atmospheric conditions, thereby permitting the vapor to pass readily into the atmosphere, and become absorbed thereby.

In humidifying the indoor atmosphere of a building by adding vapor to the atmosphere the greatest 'difiiculty is found in trans erring the vapor into the atmosphere in such a manner that the vapor will not condense before being taken up, and absorbed by the atmosphere.

I In this connection the pressure reducing member performs an important function, in addition .to its pressure reducing qualities. The superposed layers of wire strands make a body that absorbs heat from the vapor passing through the pressure reducing member, and from the vapor back of saidmember, and that heat is radiated by said member outwardly into the atmosphere, opposite to said member, thereby increasing the temperature of the air receiving the vapor discharged through the pressure reducing member, and consequently increasing its capacity for receiving vapor,

and in that way preventing the vapor from condensing near its point of discharge from Y at one end to the outer atmosphere, andconnected with a discharge flue 11, formed in a'wall or partition 12, of a building, and provided with a register 13, of any ordinary construction. A

In the construction shown the receptacle or casing 9 is provided with an open top for the discharge of vapor therefrom, instead of 7 from the side of the casing or receptacle. That is not an essential feature of the invention however, and may be modified. if desired.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air humidifying device, the combination of a vapor generator, a vapor expansion casing connected therewith and providedwith a discharge opening, and a pressure reducing and heat radiating member covering said opening and comprising a plurality of superposed layers of woven w1re strands, limiting the discharge of vapor from said casing, and radiating heat into the atmosphere adjacent to said opening.

2. In an air humidifying device, the combination of a vapor generator, a vapor expansion caslng connected therewlth and provided with a'discharge opening, and a presperposed layers sure reducing and heat radiating member covering said opening and comprising a plurality of superposed layers of woven w1re strands, secured together independently of said casing, said member limiting the discharge of vapor from said casing and radiating heat into the atmosphere adjacent to said opening. a

3. In an air humidifying device, the combination of a vapor generator, a vaporexpansion casing connected therewith and provided with a Vapor discharge opening, and a pressure reducing and heat radiating member covering said opening and comprising a body of interwoven wire strands limiting the passage of vapor from said casing, and

radiating heat into the atmosphere adjacent said discharge opening.

4. In an air humidifying device, the combination of a vapor generator, an open topped vapor expansion receptacle connected with said generator, and a Vapor restraining and heat radiating member covering said open top and comprising a plurality of suof woven w1re strands.

ROBERT W. HARDIE.

Witnesses v A, Y. CoUGAN,

A.- GEISSENSETTER. 

